News
Pro-Tinubu senators plot Ndume suspension, northern stakeholders fume
![](https://newstrends.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Ali-Ndume.jpg)
Pro-Tinubu senators plot Ndume suspension, northern stakeholders fume
Senators loyal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are reportedly planning to impose sanctions on Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) following his recent critical comments about the President. Sources within the National Assembly revealed on Tuesday that the pro-Tinubu senators aim to remove Ndume from his position as the Chief Whip of the Senate and suspend him, similar to the recent suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central).
In March, Ningi, a ranking senator from the North, was suspended for three months for alleging in a BBC Hausa interview that N3.7 trillion in the 2024 national budget was not allocated to any specific projects or locations.
Ndume recently expressed concerns about President Tinubu’s awareness of the country’s issues, stating, “Mr. President is not in the picture of what is happening outside the Villa. He has been fenced off and caged. So many of us won’t go through the backdoor to engage him. Now, they have stopped him from talking, and he doesn’t have public affairs managers, except his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, who writes press statements. Nigerians are getting very angry. The government is not doing anything about the food scarcity, and it needs to do something urgently. We don’t have food reserves. There is an unavailability of food. The food crisis is the worst crisis that any nation can encounter. If we add that to the security crisis, it will be severe.”
These remarks sparked a backlash from the pro-Tinubu camp, with Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) condemning Ndume’s statement as derogatory.
READ ALSO:
- Why top clubs don’t want to sign Victor Osimhen – Report
- End oil theft, pipeline vandalism now, Tinubu orders security chiefs
- FG denies plans to hand over public varsities to private investors
According to sources, three of the four senators leading the charge to suspend Ndume and remove him as Chief Whip are from the South West (Ekiti, Ogun, and Lagos), with another senator from Kogi also involved. Senate President Godswill Akpabio is reportedly in a difficult position, given that Ndume was the Director-General of the Stability Group that helped secure Akpabio’s position as Senate President in June 2023.
Some Northern senators are reportedly waiting for the issue to be formally raised in plenary before taking a stance. A source noted, “But of course, you know the Northern Senators will rise against another plan to destabilize their caucus, barely a few months after Ningi was suspended.”
Meanwhile, the Concerned Northern Forum (CNF), represented by Mallam Abdulkadir Kura, released a statement on Tuesday supporting Ndume. The statement read, “It is on record that Ndume is a critical stakeholder of the ruling APC and a close ally of President Tinubu. Therefore, if he can take such a bold step in telling the truth about the economic and social reality, then the Southern Borno Senator must be celebrated by all and sundry. So we stand by him.”
The CNF praised Ndume for voicing the concerns of average Nigerians facing severe economic hardship due to the removal of fuel subsidies and other unpopular policies. They highlighted that Ndume has a history of challenging federal government policies, which has previously led to positive changes.
“This is not the first time Senator Ndume has criticized or challenged federal government policies. He consistently did so during the past administrations of Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari. Such criticisms led to positive changes by the listening governments at that time,” the statement added.
Pro-Tinubu senators plot Ndume suspension, northern stakeholders fume
News
Tinubu’s aide Ajuri Ngelale quits, proceeds on indefinite leave over family health
![](https://newstrends.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Ajuri-Ngelale-scaled.jpg)
Tinubu’s aide Ajuri Ngelale quits proceeds on indefinite leave over family health
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, has announced his resignation, saying he is stepping down to focus on medical matters affecting his nuclear family.
Ngelale said he had submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, informing him of his decision to step down as Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.
He said in the statement that he was stepping down from the two roles to enable him to proceed on indefinite leave.
President Bola Tinubu had on 31 July, 2023 named Ajuri as his official spokesperson and special adviser on media and publicity.
On May 19 this year, the president gave him an additional responsibility in the administration by appointing him Nigeria’s special presidential envoy on climate action. He served in that role as part of a larger presidential committee chaired by President Bola Tinubu.
Ngelale, 38, was at different times a broadcast journalist with African Independent Television and Channels Television.
He also worked as public affairs consultant at the Federal Ministry of Power and later as senior special assistant on public affairs in the office of then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
His Resignation Letter
On Friday, I submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President informing that I am proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters presently affecting my immediate nuclear family.
While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson for the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home.
I look forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit.
I respectfully ask for some privacy for my family and I during this time.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale
News
FG blocks Nigerian nurses from practising abroad, shuts certificate verification portal
![](https://newstrends.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Somes-nurses-scaled.jpg)
FG blocks Nigerian nurses from practising abroad, shuts certificate verification portal
Nigerian nurses in the United Kingdom, the United States and other places outside the country are currently in limbo following the decision of the Federal Government to close the certificate verification portal.
This has frustrated their efforts at completing the verification required by the host countries to admit them as registered nurses to practise.
Those already practising abroad are also unable to renew their operating licence since the deactivation of the verification portal by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria in February this year.
Many of the affected nurses are said to have been forced to return to the country.
In a report published on Saturday, PUNCH quoted some of those affecting voicing their frustration over the development.
One of them who spoke on condition of anonymity said the UK Trust, bound by its policies, reportedly terminated his employment due to his inability to meet the certification criteria.
READ ALSO:
- Man who attacked judge in court pleads ‘guilty but mentally ill’
- Petrol price hike hard decision for economic growth – Tinubu
- Why I won’t leave my husband if I find him cheating – Actress Chinwe
He said, “The situation is not only saddening but also suicidal. My career is stagnated because the portal is closed. I’m in Nigeria now. I have gone to the nursing council on several occasions to tell them that even if they should write a letter of good standing and send it to them, they would be happy to acknowledge it. But my efforts were futile.”
Another nurse based in Saudi Arabia, Hannah, said she travelled to the country in 2023 to practise as a nurse, but her future had become uncertain.
Reacting, President of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Michael Nnachi, said the group had engaged the government on the reopening of the portal.
He noted that a committee was recently formed to review the issue among others.
He said, “I would advise our affected members to remain patient.
“We are deeply concerned about the difficulties they are facing, and we are not comfortable with the situation. However, patience is necessary at this time.
“Finally, in many cases, even when agreements are reached with the government, they often fail to fulfil their promises. I remain hopeful and expect a positive response from the government. There is hope.”
FG blocks Nigerian nurses from practising abroad, shuts certificate verification portal
News
Petrol price hike, hard economic growth decision – Tinubu
![](https://newstrends.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/President-elect-Asiwaju-Bola-Tinubu-scaled.jpg)
Petrol price hike, hard economic growth decision – Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has reacted to the recent hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol.
Daily Trust reports that the newest hike, implemented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s (NNPCL) Retail Management, range from N855 to N897 per litre, depending on the location, from the previous N568-N617.
Independent marketers have adjusted their prices to between N930 and N1,200 per litre of petrol.
Since the removal of subsidy by Tinubu in May 2023, prices of petrol tripled, compounding the woes of Nigerians who power their vehicles and generating sets with petrol.
But speaking Friday at a meeting with Nigerians in Beijing, China, after rounding off his official engagements in the country, Tinubu said the increase in petrol price is a “bold and unprecedented decision” necessary for Nigeria’s growth.
READ ALSO:
- Why I won’t leave my husband if I find him cheating – Actress Chinwe
- After 40 years of taking N1,000 student loan, senior lawyer Awomolo repays with N2m
- Tinubu did not extend IGP Egbetokun’s tenure – Police
A statement by Ajuri Ngelale, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, quoted him to have said the petrol price hike and other reforms by his administration are part of an overall strategy to set Nigeria on the path of economic growth.
President Tinubu said: “Nigeria is going through reforms, and we are taking very bold and unprecedented decisions. For example, you might have been hearing from home in the last few days about fuel prices.
“But, can we help it? Can we develop good roads like you have here? You see electricity being constant in quantity and quality. You see water supply, constant and running, and you see their good schools. And we say we want to hand over a banner without stain to our children?
“What is the critical part to get us there if we cannot take hard decisions to pave the way for a country that is blessed and so talented?
“So many of you are so talented, speaking very fluent Mandarin. It is what you contribute and tell them at home that will reflect in the attitude of our people.
“The more you want everything free, it will become more expensive and long-delayed to achieve meaningful development.’’
Petrol price hike, hard economic growth decision – Tinubu
-
metro2 days ago
FUNAAB student Christiana Idowu murdered after abduction by colleague in Lagos
-
metro2 days ago
Killer of Ogun agric varsity student arrested in Lagos
-
Business2 days ago
NNPC supplies 30m barrels of crude to Dangote
-
metro3 days ago
Three domestic workers murder Ondo popular CEO
-
Education1 day ago
WAEC, NECO not restricted to 18 years — FG
-
Politics2 days ago
Those trying to lure Peter Obi away from LP wasting their time – Senator Umeh
-
Education1 day ago
40 additional institutions get student loans (+FULL LIST)
-
metro3 days ago
I shot my friend for sleeping with my girlfriend — Suspect